Wednesday, September 9th, 6:30 to 8 pm. Writing from Where You Are. A gentle, non-critical workshop on prose writing. Take those old dairies, the notes from your last vacation and create something memorable. 14 years and above. $40

Rotary Centre for the Arts Course Studio 205, 421 Cawston Avenue.

Wednesday, September 23rd, 6:30 to 8 pm. Poetry for the Novice. Creating interesting, vivid poetry under the guidance of a writer who has earned her M.A. In contemporary poetry. $40.

Wednesday, October 21st, 6:30 to 8 pm. Making handmade greeting cards: Get inspired to make something unique that speaks from who you are. Make a gift of your talent. For children and adults together. Family fun. $45 includes material’s fee.

Vernon Community Arts Council, 2704A Hwy 6, Vernon, B.C. 250-542-6243

Saturday, October 24th, 10-2, Making Memories (All Ages) Making a gift of a unique scrapbook technique book. $80.

The Hidden Poet. Using the senses to explore poetry, interpret imagery and be inspired. $125 + GST

Rotary Centre for the Arts Course Studio 205, 421 Cawston Avenue.

Wednesday, September 9th, 6:30 to 8 pm. Writing from Where You Are. A gentle, non-critical workshop on prose writing. Take those old dairies, the notes from your last vacation and create something memorable. 14 years and above. $40

Rotary Centre for the Arts Course Studio 205, 421 Cawston Avenue.

Wednesday, September 23rd, 6:30 to 8 pm. Poetry for the Novice. Creating interesting, vivid poetry under the guidance of a writer who has earned her M.A. In contemporary poetry. $40.

Wednesday, October 21st, 6:30 to 8 pm. Making handmade greeting cards: Get inspired to make something unique that speaks from who you are. Make a gift of your talent. For children and adults together. Family fun. $45 includes material’s fee.

Living in the moment

Vernon Community Arts Council, 2704A Hwy 6, Vernon, B.C. 250-542-6243

Saturday, October 24th, 10-2, Making Memories (All Ages) Making a gift of a unique scrapbook technique book. $80.

Politics Explained

FEUDALISM: You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.

PURE SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else’s cows. You have to take care of all of the cows. The government gives you as much milk as you need.

BUREAUCRATIC SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and put them in a barn with everyone else’s cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and eggs as the regulations say you need.

FASCISM: You have two cows. The government takes both, hires you to take care of them and sells you the milk.

PURE COMMUNISM: You have two cows. Your neighbors help you take care of them, and you all share the milk.

RUSSIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk.

CAMBODIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. The government takes both of them and shoots you.

DICTATORSHIP: You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.

PURE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors decide who gets the milk.

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors pick someone to tell you who gets the milk.

BUREAUCRACY: You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. Then it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.

PURE ANARCHY: You have two cows. Either you sell the milk at a fair price or your neighbors try to take the cows and kill you.

LIBERTARIAN/ANARCHO-CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.

SURREALISM: You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.

(Original source unknown . . . this version expanded and Illuminated by SJ.)

As I am turning 65 tomorrow, I have spent the week uncharacteristically. I got a manicure with candy apple red nail polish which turned out to be a very bad job. It is the fourth in my life and I was loathe to go in and get another one until the proper 15 years had elapsed. I had my teeth bleached today to a lovely lighter shade of yellow-gray. Instead of going to work, I went shopping and bought six tee shirts for $80. I am having tea with not one friend on one occasion but with two friends on two occasions. This week I have had three naps because turning older can be exhausting… and perhaps starting work at 9 am and working until 9 pm might be a contributing factor. I walked past a spider web. My to do list has remained in the dark crevices of my purse and my mind. We have gone to bed early and watched the comedy network on computer

art work layered as backdrop

and laughed.

One of our town councilors who has had recurrent cancer died Monday. I think about the close calls and am so thankful that I am still here to see my grand daughters, to be a friend, to enjoy the partnership with my husband, to become a better person. To have died at 38, 52, 55, 57 (from hemorrhaging almost 1/2 of the blood from my body, from cancer, an horrendous car accident, or from a live electrical line hitting our car would have meant that I would have come back as a chicken or a turtle or something perhaps.

Rhane, Dominique, Teagan, Cherie, Alexandra

I am only now starting to get “it”. I am only now starting to see that I am only starting to see. I am grateful for all of my teachers and all of my lessons. And like a piece of leather in the jaws of an Inuit woman from history, I have become softer with age and stretchier. I have been chewed on by time.
Planning to see a plastic surgeon soon about another eye lift…. So I can see without the flap of skin in the way.

The Terrace Mountain Fire is still alive. Fears that the incoming cold front will mean an increase in wind velocity and that the root fires causing the falling of trees will mean more danger for fire fighters do not portend an end to the situation soon.

Down here, at the North End the skies were clear for the first day in weeks. Yesterday I could work in the yard without having asthma problems and my eyes watering from smoke. It was an immense relief. Gaia is angry. Watching the tsunamis hitting the shoreline in Asia, hearing of death through flooding, listening to East Coast residents bemoaning the lack of summer and West Coasters moaning from the oppressive heat reminds me of how my body works. First it whispers something to me gently, then it speaks up. If I fail to change my behavior (as I frequently do) then comes the yelling, shouting, screaming. Nature is yelling at us.

http://tiny.cc/Ngbhl artist Dexter on red bubble...great comment

I saw the headlines in the New York Times yesterday that the changes in nature are on the radar of the right wing contengent now. They pose a threat to security. Wow! Even those who denied that global warming was occuring are now paying attention to it. Not out of love of the planet, not out of concern for animals, children and all those who are physically weaker. No! It is a security threat and must be dealt with.

Meanwhile, we are battling virus at home. First I had four days of cluster headaches and felt like I was stuffed with lead weights or bowling balls in my “skin suit”. Now Cameron is into his third day of being warm to the touch and having cluster head aches. His, however, is a man flu. His mood is less than mellow. Also, the fact that he had three jobs waiting for him to complete while he feels like human sludge isn’t helping. I have only the occasional appointment because of my status as one who lacks status…semi-retired artist.

elements: water 7 ft long with pearlescent paint

My two seven foot works from the Elements series are hanging at the Bean Scene North and look spectacular there. The space is very contemporary and shows off my art in a setting it craves to be. Cement, steel, glass, dark colors and lots of light. The art work shows like a jewell in that setting.

fire, metal, wind/spirit feung shui elements

Another piece, Metal is hanging at the end of the Galleria Hallway at the Rotary Centre where the pearlescence shows nicely.